The advent of new information and communication technologies such as Web 2.0, Learning 2.0, cloud-based learning tools, open content and open source learning tools have transformed the world of education in an unprecedented way. Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) as an emerging method of education is considered as one of the most significant trends in higher education. The term MOOCs was first introduced in 2008 by two Canadian scholars, George Siemens and Stephen Downes. They offered a free online learning course entitled “Connectivism and Connective Knowledge 2008 (CCK08)” to students from anywhere around the world. The main purpose of MOOCs is to open up education and to provide an opportunity for every student, regardless of the social and cultural background, to free access to university level education. MOOC materials are also hosted in a cloud. “Cloud computing provides scalable anytime/ anywhere services simply accessed through the Web from multiple devices without worrying about how/where those services are installed, maintained or located”. Therefore, students can access advanced learning applications and can interact and collaborate, regardless of geographical location, with their peers through a cloud.

There are two MOOC categories, based on different pedagogical emphases and organisational models: the content-based MOOCs (xMOOCs), and connectivist MOOCs (cMOOCs). xMOOCs represent courses where the curricula and the course are fixed and defined by the course designers, whereas cMOOCs provide a platform which learners can contribute with each other to create both the content and structure of the learning curricula. Nowadays, many highly prestigious US universities such as Harvard, Stanford, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Princeton and MIT, have adopted this new method of education and made their lectures available to indefinite number of students throughout the world at no cost. Moreover, several startup companies (e.g.Coursera, Udacity, edX, Udemy, Khan Academy, Coursera, Udacity and edX) have developed partnerships with universities and professors to offer MOOCs.

In addition, MOOCs can be useful to those people who cannot attend university due to cost, lack of time and sufficient secondary education entry requirements and who aspire to achieve career progression, at their own pace, by having MOOC certificates from some of the highly accredited, prestigious universities in the world. Interestingly, many learners from middle and low income countries around the world have adopted this new learning method to enhance their learning experience through peer-to-peer and professor-learner interactions. At the moment, institutions in the developing world are offering MOOCs for continuing professional development and training. MOOCs can provide an opportunity for people to obtain the skills required by the labor market. This is supported by Christensen and his colleagues. They conducted an online survey on students enrolled in 32 massive open online courses at the University of Pennsylvania and reported that the main users, especially in developing countries, were young, employed, and well-educated males. They also added that students’ main reasons for taking a MOOC were advancing in their current job and satisfying curiosity.

Despite the large number of enrolments in these open online courses, the rate of completion in MOOCs is very low. Studies indicate that most students who register for a MOOC have no intention and commitment to complete their course. On other hand, the rates of completion for students who plan to do the work, and pay a fee for the company’s new Signature Track program is substantially higher.

Everyone knows that the 21st century marks the dawn of the Information Age. Huge amounts of data are accumulating all around us, from cell phones and computers, and (in some places) even from the very ground we walk on. For those on the cutting edge of technology, this means the potential for both profit and peril. By acting quickly and staying on top of the evolving industry, businesses and individuals can get in on the next major data-driven development; but lagging behind can pose all sorts of unanticipated pitfalls.

By 2020, experts estimate that there will be over 26 billion devices hooked into the Internet of Things (IoT).

Can your data center handle the Internet of Things?

Are data centers ready to cope with the expected flood of data generated by the Internet of Things (IoT)? With some predicted 26 billion units set to come online by 2020, that’s an awful lot of additional data that will need to be stored and processed. Analyst Gartner warns that data center operators will face challenges in a number of areas including security, data, storage management, servers and the data center network…. Read More

These will range from microchips in farm animals to usage and wear-and-tear data on “smart” sidewalk panels. All of these devices, and the trillions of connections between them, will allow engineers and architects to build self-maintaining buildings for the cities of the future.

Increasing partnerships between data analytics and building technology providers highlight the immense value big data can bring… – The convergence of next-generation IT solutions such as the Internet of Things (IoT), cloud computing, big data and data analytics will open up new business opportunities for both building technology and ICT companies… Read More

At the same time, artists have created musical and visual works to show the stunning beauty of all this information. But existing servers may not be properly equipped to handle the massive quantities of new data coming in…

Sublime by numbers: How the art world is reacting to big data

From designers trawling climate change data to photographers swapping cameras for computers, information is at the heart of an aesthetic revolution On a cool Saturday evening in late June, the audience at LSO St Luke’s, a former church turned music venue in east London, heard the premiere of “Change Ringing.” Composed by Laurence Osborn, resident at the London Symphony Orchestra’s Soundhub, the 25-minute piece was performed by nine string players and a percussionist sounding six bronze bells… Read More

DUBLIN–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/jq5npd/eprescribing) has announced the addition of the “E-Prescribing Market – Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast, 2013 – 2019” report to their offering. The global E-Prescribing market was valued at USD 250.2 million in 2013 and is likely to grow at a CAGR of 23.5% from …

Disaster Recovery Ok, ok – I understand most of you are saying disaster recovery (DR) is still a critical aspect of running any type of operations. After all – we need to secure our future operations in case of disaster. Sure – that is still the case but things are changing – fast. There are…

Public vs. Private vs. Hybrid The debate surrounding the deliverability of cloud computing is coming to a close. Businesses have begun to rapidly adopt the use of cloud services, courtesy the ROI this disruptive technology brings to the table. They have finally realized they cannot afford to ignore the cloud. A Forrester study found that…

Cloud Computing Benefits A growing number of small and medium businesses in the United States rely on as a means of deploying mission-critical software products. Prior to the advent of cloud-based products — software solutions delivered over the Internet – companies were often forced to invest in servers and other products to run software and…

Monetizing Internet Of Things There are many interesting ways in which companies are looking to connect devices to the cloud. From the vehicles to kitchen appliances the internet of things is already a $1.9 trillion dollar market based on research estimates from IDC. Included is a fascinating infographic provided by AriaSystems which shows us some of the exciting…

Disaster Recovery And The Cloud One of the least considered benefits of cloud computing in the average small or mid-sized business manager’s mind is the aspect of disaster recovery. Part of the reason for this is that so few small and mid-size businesses have ever contemplated the impact of a major disaster on their IT…

Cloud Computing Innovation Sao Paulo, Brazil has had trouble with both energy and water supplies as of late. Despite it is the rainy period. Unfortunately Sao Paulo is very dependent on its rain as a majority of its power is generated from large dams. No water, no energy. Difficult situation for a city of some…

Will Your Internet of Things Device Testify Imagine this: Your wearable device is subpoenaed to testify against you. You were driving when you were over the legal alcohol limit and data from a smart Breathalyzer device is used against you. Some might argue that such a use case could potentially safeguard society. However, it poses…

5 Essential Cloud Skills Cloud technology has completely changed the infrastructure and internal landscape of both small businesses and large corporations alike. No professionals in any industry understand this better than IT pros. In a cutthroat field like IT, candidates have to be multi-faceted and well-versed in the cloud universe. Employers want to know that…

The Big Data Movement In recent years, Big Data and Cloud relations have been growing steadily. And while there have been many questions raised around how best to use the information being gathered, there is no question that there is a real future between the two. The growing importance of Big Data Scientists and the…

Big Data Future Today’s organizations should become more collaborative, virtual, adaptive, and agile in order to be successful in complex business world. They should be able to respond to changes and market needs. Many organizations found that the valuable data they possess and how they use it can make them different than others. In fact,…

Security In The IoT The network security market is experiencing a pressing and transformative change, especially around access control and orchestration. Although it has been mature for decades, the network security market had to transform rapidly with the advent of the BYOD trend and emergence of the cloud, which swept enterprises a few years ago.…

The IoT Machine Learning Shift While early artificial intelligence (AI) programs were a one-trick pony, typically only able to excel at one task, today it’s about becoming a jack of all trades. Or at least, that’s the intention. The goal is to write one program that can solve multi-variant problems without the need to be…

Cloud Architecture These days, Multi-Tier Applications are the norm. From SharePoint’s front-end/back-end configuration, to LAMP-based websites using multiple servers to handle different functions, a multitude of apps require public and private-facing components to work in tandem. Placing these apps in entirely public-facing platforms and networks simplifies the process, but at the cost of security vulnerabilities. Locating everything…

The True Meaning of Availability What is real availability? In our line of work, cloud service providers approach availability from the inside out. And in many cases, some never make it past their own front door given how challenging it is to keep the lights on at home let alone factors that are out of…

Why Businesses Need Hybrid Solutions Running a cloud server is no longer the novel trend it once was. Now, the cloud is a necessary data tier that allows employees to access vital company data and maintain productivity from anywhere in the world. But it isn’t a perfect system — security and performance issues can quickly…

Data Governance Data governance, the understanding of the raw data of an organization is an area IT departments have historically viewed as a lose-lose proposition. Not doing anything means organizations run the risk of data loss, data breaches and data anarchy – no control, no oversight – the Wild West with IT is just hoping…

Cloud Native Trends Once upon a time, only a select few companies like Google and Salesforce possessed the knowledge and expertise to operate efficient cloud infrastructure and applications. Organizations patronizing those companies benefitted with apps that offered new benefits in flexibility, scalability and cost effectiveness. These days, the sharp division between cloud and on-premises infrastructure…

Password Challenges Simple passwords are no longer safe to use online. John Barco, vice president of Global Product Marketing at ForgeRock, explains why it’s time the industry embraced more advanced identity-centric solutions that improve the customer experience while also providing stronger security. Since the beginning of logins, consumers have used a simple username and password to…

Cloud Security Missteps Cloud computing remains shrouded in mystery for the average American. The most common sentiment is, “It’s not secure.” Few realize how many cloud applications they access every day: Facebook, Gmail, Uber, Evernote, Venmo, and the list goes on and on… People flock to cloud services for convenient solutions to everyday tasks. They…